The new drug Addyi, which is being dubbed the "female Viagra," has been made available despite a history of controversy.
Addyi has a track record of rejections by the FDA, with concerns about its effectiveness and fears surrounding its use when combined with alcohol.
While some suggest that the drug is a step forward in enabling women to express their sexuality by increasing their sex drive, there are voices from the scientific community who criticize the lack of testing and the potential side effects of the drug.
The FDA rejected the drug twice, first in 2010 and again in 2013. On the third attempt, Sprout, the company behind the drug, attempted a more rigorous campaign, positioning the drug as a healthy and feminist-approved way for women to control their own sex lives.
Despite this, many suggest that the company misrepresented the drug's side effects and influences members of Congress to get it approved.
The pill is currently available only through prescription and was designed to combat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a condition in which women have a chronically low desire to have sex.
Of course, the concern in the scientific community does make sense. Men get aroused when blood flows to the penis, but women don't respond to arousal in the same way. When it comes to a woman's sex drive, researchers have to look at how to stimulate the brain to increase sexual desire, which can be a dangerous thing to do.
The pill was originally rejected because of the fact that it didn't show a significant change in women's libido over placebo pills. Women who took part in the trials saw an increase in the number of times per month that they had satisfying sex, going up from 2.8 times to 4.5 times. Women who took the placebo pill also saw an increase, up to 3.7 from 2.7.
Not only that, but side effects can include a severe drop in blood pressure and even fainting when it is consumed along with alcohol.
